Spool assembly

ABSTRACT

A spool assembly for winding of a sheet-like material thereon includes a tubular hub body and a securing member. The tubular hub body is formed with a groove, and has a radial cross-section that has grooved and non-grooved segments. The non-groove segment extends from the grooved segment, and has opposite first and second ends, and a radial thickness that increases gradually from the first end to the second end thereof. The securing member is mounted in the groove in the tubular hub body for securing a securing end of the flexible sheet-like material to the tubular hub body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a spool assembly, more particularly to a spool assembly on which a flexible sheet-like material can be wound smoothly and evenly.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional spool assembly 100 that includes a tubular hub body 1 and a double-sided adhesive tape member 2.

The tubular hub body 1 surrounds an axis (A), and has inner and outer surfaces 11, 12. The outer surface 12 of the tubular hub body 1 is formed with an axially extending groove 10 that is defined by a groove-defining wall 13.

With further reference to FIG. 2, the double-sided adhesive tape member 2 is disposed in the axially extending groove 10 in the outer surface 12 of the tubular hub body 1, is attached adhesively to the groove-defining wall 13, and has an exposed surface 21 that is flush with the outer surface 12 of the tubular hub body 1. A flexible sheet-like material 3 is tightly wound, such as with the use of a winding machine (not shown), on the tubular hub body 1 such that a securing end 31 of the flexible sheet-like material 3 is attached adhesively to the exposed surface 21 of the double-sided adhesive tape member 2.

With further reference to FIG. 3, the tubular hub body 1 has a radial cross-section, which has a grooved segment 14, and a non-grooved segment 15 that extends from the grooved segment 14 and that has a uniform radial thickness.

The aforementioned conventional spool assembly 100 is disadvantageous in that, when the flexible sheet-like material 3 is wound on the tubular hub body 1, the securing end 31 of the flexible sheet-like material 3 bulges out from the exposed surface 21 of the double-sided adhesive tape member 2. As such, the flexible sheet-like material 3 is not wound smoothly and evenly on the tubular hub body 1 of the conventional spool assembly 100. As shown in FIG. 4, this results in undesirable wrinkles (or is creases) 30 being formed along portions of the flexible sheet-like material 3. This renders these portions of the flexible sheet-like material 3 defective and unfit for selling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a spool assembly that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.

According to the present invention, a spool assembly for winding of a sheet-like material thereon comprises a tubular hub body and a securing member. The tubular hub body surrounds an axis, and has an outer surface that is formed with an axially extending groove, and a radial cross-section that has a grooved segment and a non-grooved segment. The non-groove segment extends from the grooved segment, and has opposite first and second ends that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other by the grooved segment, and a radial thickness that increases gradually from the first end to the second end thereof. The securing member is mounted in the axially extending groove in the outer surface of the tubular hub body and is adapted to secure an end of the flexible sheet-like material to the tubular hub body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional spool assembly;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the conventional spool assembly in a state of use;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial schematic view of a flexible sheet-like material in a state unwound from the conventional spool assembly;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a spool assembly according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment in a state of use; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 5, the preferred embodiment of a spool assembly 4 for winding a flexible sheet-like material 7 thereon according to this invention is shown to include a tubular hub body 6 and a securing member 5.

The flexible sheet-like material 7 may be, for example, a fabric or an automobile tinted window film, and has a uniform thickness.

The tubular hub body 6 surrounds an axis (I), and has inner and outer surfaces 61, 62. The outer surface 62 of the tubular hub body 6 is formed with an axially extending groove 60 that is defined by a groove-defining wall 63. The groove-defining wall 63 of the tubular hub body 6 has opposite first and second wall portions 631, 632, and an intermediate wall portion 633 that interconnects the first and second wall portions 631, 632 thereof. In this embodiment, the second wall portion 632 is higher than the first wall portion 631 with respect to the intermediate wall portion 633.

With further reference to FIG. 6, the securing member 5 is disposed in the axially extending groove 60 in the outer surface 62 of the tubular hub body 6, is attached adhesively to the intermediate wall portion 633 of groove-defining wall 63 of the tubular hub body 6, and has an exposed surface 50. In this embodiment, the securing member 5 is a strip of double-sided adhesive tape.

Referring additionally to FIG. 7, the flexible sheet-like material 7 is tightly wound, such as with the use of a winding machine (not shown), on the tubular hub body 6 such that a securing end 71 thereof abuts against the second wall portion 632 of the groove-defining wall 63 of the tubular hub body 6 and is attached adhesively to the exposed surface 50 of the securing member 5.

As indicated in FIG. 7, the tubular hub body 6 has a radial cross-section that has a grooved segment 64 and a non-grooved segment 65. The non-grooved segment 65 extends from the grooved segment 64, and has opposite first and second ends 651, 652 that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other by the grooved segment 64, and a radial thickness that increases gradually from the first end 651 to the second end 652 thereof.

It is noted herein that the securing member 5 has a thickness that corresponds to the height of the first wall portion 631 of the groove-defining wall 63 of the tubular hub body 6, and the flexible sheet-like material 7 has a thickness that corresponds to the height difference between the first and second wall portions 631, 632 of the groove-defining wall 63 of the tubular hub body 6. As such, the flexible sheet-like material 7 may be wound smoothly and evenly on the tubular hub body 6 of the spool assembly 4 of this invention.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A spool assembly for winding of a sheet-like material thereon, said spool assembly comprising: a tubular hub body surrounding an axis, and having an outer surface that is formed with an axially extending groove, and a radial cross-section that has a grooved segment and a non-grooved segment, said non-grooved segment extending from said grooved segment, and having opposite first and second ends that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other by said grooved segment, and a radial thickness that increases gradually from said first end to said second end thereof; and a securing member mounted in said axially extending groove in said outer surface of said tubular hub body and adapted to secure an end of the flexible sheet-like material to said tubular hub body.
 2. The spool assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said axially extending groove is defined by a groove-defining wall, said groove-defining wall having opposite first and second wall portions, and an intermediate wall portion that interconnects said first and second wall portions thereof, said second wall portion being higher than said first wall portion with respect to said intermediate wall portion.
 3. The spool assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said securing member has a thickness that corresponds to the height of said first wall portion of said groove-defining wall of said tubular hub body.
 4. The spool assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said securing member is a strip of double-sided adhesive tape. 